Want to learn more about cultural diversity? These Instagram accounts are a good start

The year is 2020, and the omnipresence of the internet means that cultural awareness and sensitivity are no longer an option. The recent protests in USA around the death of George Floyd have served as a linchpin in the battle around racism, and sparked fresh questions about cultural inclusivity across the world. What real action or productive measures can you undertake as an individual—beyond posting performative blackout squares on designated days?

The short answer is that cultivating a culturally diverse outlook isn’t a static end goal; it’s an ongoing journey, and one that needs to be continually informed by stories and voices from marginalised communities. In order to truly grasp the magnitude of the situation, it is essential to first listen, and then learn from the stories and experiences of diverse communities.

With social media platforms tearing down more boundaries than ever before, diversifying your feed is a necessity. In order to move beyond well-intentioned acts of solidarity and become a true ally to people of colour around the world, it is necessary to hear directly from them. While Black Lives Matter serves as the epicentre of the revolution, you’ll find a wealth of information and resources freely available on Instagram from non-profit organisations and individual activists, alike. Whether you are hoping to educate yourself or looking for a guided mentor on the journey, here are the Instagram accounts and creators offering crucial resources for making the world a more habitable place for communities of colour.

Check Your Privilege

Founded by mental health activist, Myisha T Hill, Check Your Privilege is a guided journey for creating awareness about how everyday actions can affect the mental health of black, brown and indigenous people of colour. Through various courses, online masterclasses and coaching programs, participants can have a coach guide their journey through the sphere of anti-racism.

South Asian Sexual & Mental Health Alliance

Conceptualised as a safe space for South Asians by a collective of youth organisers, the platform is now known for its podcast, Brown Taboo Project that pulls back the veil on mental health, sexual identity, reproductive health and other topics generally considered taboo in the community. By fighting cultural stigmas, it aims to enable the South Asian youth of today access the resources they need to develop a healthier relationship with sexual and mental health.

Black Girl Mixtape

The brainchild of womanist scholar Ebony Janice, Black Girl Mixtape serves as a multi-city lecture platform that creates a safe space for celebrating the voices of black women. Expect podcasts and lecture series that amplify issues pertaining to womanhood and innovative initiatives, such as Black Girl Homework, that assigns tasks and supplemental reading materials for delving deeper into the narrative.

Ethel’s Club

A wellness club designed as a safe space for people of colour to heal and thrive, Ethel’s Club aims to celebrate people of colour through conversations around wellness. This month, the digital membership club will also be offering free healing sessions to black people around the world.

Equality Labs

The South Asian technology organisation aims to provide practical tools for religious and cultural minorities in the region to advocate for themselves. Through community research, socially engaged art and digital security, the organisation seeks for marginalised minorities across the spectrum to become the architects of the solutions they require.

Unapologetically Brown Series

Follow along as New York-based visual artist Johanna Toruño turns the streets into her own personal portfolio with a merry riot of colours and motivational messaging that celebrates communities of colour. Today, her platform offers community resources and an online store with a range of apparel and stationery doused with her signature aesthetic.

The Conscious Kid

The Conscious Kid is a treasure trove of parenting resources on how to reduce bias and promote positive identity development from childhood. The black and brown-owned platform serves as a handy aid for parenting and education by promoting access to children’s books that centre oppressed groups and marginalised voices.

Brown History

What started as a labour of love by an electrical engineer in Montreal, Ahsun Zafar, has now become a repository of the historical and cultural influences you’ll find in the typical album of a South Asian family. After an open call for submissions in March 2019, The Brown History Photo Album was flooded with personal submissions of unsung heroes and overlooked pockets of time from the nuanced history of the South Asian community.

Color of Change

On a mission to enable people to do something real about injustice, Color of Change designs campaigns to end unfair practices meted to the black community while also championing solutions that illuminate the way forward. Its online force of 1.7 million members aims to hold corporate and political leaders responsible and drive government decision-makers to create a less hostile world for the black community in USA.

Teach and Transform

As a transracial adoptee born in South Korea, Liz Kleinrock is now inspiring change by drafting an inclusive curriculum for schools that champions diversity and culturally responsive practices. The award-winning educator is credited with teaching anti-bias practices at the kindergarten level, and is today known for her TED Talk on how to talk to children about taboo topics that has charted over two million views since its release.

Rachel Cargle

Inspired by a successful birthday fundraiser, Therapy for Black Women and Girls, academician Rachel Cargle created The Loveland Foundation. While the platform offers opportunities for healing to communities of colour, her million-strong following on Instagram can avail of helpful resources, including templates for holding employers and academic institutions responsible for racial justice.

We All Grow Latina

Since its inception in 2010, We All Grow Latina has been committed to elevating and amplifying the voices and stories of the Latina community. Through digital events and professional summits, the platform has built a network for Latina entrepreneurs, creative artists and content creators to grow and thrive.

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